No one understands your substance abuse. Your family doesn’t get the stress you’re under or the crushing depression you experience every day. Your friends look at you differently and don’t know how to connect with you anymore. Even you don’t fully understand how you got here.
Addiction is an isolating disease that can make you feel stigmatized and completely on your own. But the reality is, you’re far from alone. In 2017, 4 million people sought addiction treatment because they were struggling with similar triggers and mental health challenges that you’ve been facing.
These are the types of people you’ll meet in addiction rehab, whether as another client getting treatment or as an alumnus who has successfully completed treatment and is now in recovery. With the right peer support, you can finally break free from that isolation and work towards lasting recovery.
7 Reasons Why Peer Support is Beneficial in Addiction Recovery
Peer support in addiction treatment and recovery offers countless benefits needed to overcome your substance abuse and dual diagnosis disorders. Peer support during addiction rehab can:
- Help you see that you aren’t alone. Participating in a group therapy session or talking to an alumnus of your treatment program will open your eyes to a world you’ve never seen before. At home, it felt like you were the only one struggling. But peer support in addiction treatment will show you that you have more people than you realized who understand you and are ready to support your recovery.
- Give you people to connect with who understand. Unless your family and friends have struggled with addiction and mental health, it’s hard for them to truly understand what you’ve been through. Peer support during and after addiction treatment opens you up to people who share similar struggles and experiences as you.
- Provide the emotional support you’ve been missing. When you finally have people in your corner who have also struggled with addiction, they can be that shoulder to lean on that you haven’t gotten before. For the first time in a long time, you’ll have people you can talk to openly without any fear of judgment or persecution.
- Give you a powerful sense of belonging. Maybe you’ve never felt comfortable in your own skin or have had trouble connecting with family. Peer support in addiction treatment and recovery gives you people you can bond with. When you’re surrounded by people who accept your past and support your recovery, you can finally feel like you belong.
- Help increase your level of empathy towards others. Besides being isolating, addiction makes it difficult for you to put others’ feelings and needs first. Peer support works both ways – fellow clients and alumni support you, but you also support them. This increases your empathy and helps you see how rewarding it is to put others before yourself.
- Provide practical support when learning how to live without addiction. Addiction treatment also includes relearning life skills like eating healthy, managing a job and dealing with stress. Peer support in addiction recovery can help you develop and practice these life skills, which can increase your confidence and self-efficacy.
- Offers a support system you can use beyond treatment. The relationships you build in addiction treatment don’t have to end when you’re done. Recovery is an ongoing journey, and these people can serve as your support system when you need guidance or are struggling with your sobriety.
Alumni Support at The Raleigh House
As a client at our residential treatment center outside Denver or our outpatient treatment program in Denver, you have access to our entire alumni network.
We have alumni who are three years or more into recovery and are passionate about helping people like you get through recovery. They’ve been in your shoes. They know exactly where you’ve been and what you’re currently going through. And they know the amazing life that’s waiting for you if you can just overcome your addiction and find recovery.
During our weekend barbecues, you have the opportunity to meet and interact with our alumni. You can get to know them over a delicious meal, play volleyball with them and bond over recovery as you sit around an evening bonfire. Our alumni also host a peer-led group from 5:30-6:30pm every Tuesday evening, giving both you and your family an opportunity to grow your support network and continue working towards sobriety.
Because of our alumni’s own personal experiences, they’re motivated to pay it forward and support you in your own recovery journey.
Let’s Tackle Your Addiction Together at The Raleigh House
At The Raleigh House, you’re never alone in your fight against addiction and dual diagnosis disorders. We have over 10 years of experience helping people like you get to the bottom of their addiction and find sober, fulfilling lives again after treatment. And we have an entire alumni network who has your best interests at heart and are ready to help you find lasting recovery.
To get started, fill out our form or contact us now to get in touch with one of our friendly admissions team members.
